New Ecological Paradigm Scale

The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) Scale measures endorsement of an ecocentric worldview that views humans as embedded within, rather than dominant over, nature. Developed by Dunlap et al. (2000) to update the original 1978 scale, the NEP assesses environmental beliefs across multiple dimensions including balance of nature, limits to growth, human exceptionalism, and nature's intrinsic value. It is widely used in environmental psychology, sustainability research, and conservation communication studies.